1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a test method.
2. Related Art
An ink jet method is one of the conventional techniques for recording on a recording medium with an ink containing a coloring material. The ink jet method is advantageous in favorably forming a fine pattern.
A liquid ejecting apparatus used for the ink jet method is adjusted for properties involved in ejecting ink, such as the waveform of applied voltage, before use. As disclosed, for example, in JP-A-2010-214318, for this adjustment, an ink that will be used in the liquid ejecting apparatus is ejected on a test medium (test work) for determining the amount of ejected droplets and the accuracy of landing positions of the droplets. The amount of ejected droplets is calculated from the diameters of droplets deposited on the test medium, and the accuracy of landing positions is determined from the positions of droplets having landed on the test medium.
However, if the ink used for the ink jet method contains little or no coloring agent, it may be difficult to measure or detect the amount and landing positions of ejected droplets in some cases.
In addition, in the ink jet method, the solid content of ink is liable to be trapped around the nozzles of the liquid ejecting apparatus. This causes the amount of ejected ink to vary with time, or degrades the accuracy in the landing position of the ink. Accordingly, the nozzles are cleaned at regular intervals to solve these problems, and then, if necessary, the above-described measurements for the amount of ejected droplets and the landing position are performed. In such a case, however, the same problems are likely to occur when the ink contains little or no coloring agent.